When Niagara Wheatfield and Canisius faced off against each other at the HarborCenter on December 21, the Falcons were just starting to feel like they were doing things right. The game ended in a 2-2 tie.
When the Falcons again faced Canisius less than two weeks later, on Jan. 2, they wanted more.
“It’s not like we were unhappy with the tie,” Niagara Wheatfield coach Rick Wrazin said. “They’re a good hockey team. And we knew coming in they were a good hockey team, and it was the game we expected. But the way things have been going, we needed to win, we felt tonight. And I think the boys felt it was important that we won tonight too.”
Niagara Wheatfield defeated Section V’s McQuaid between the two Canisius games, and the Falcons wanted to prove themselves against Canisius more than ever.
“We played good that first game,” said Mike LoTempio, who scored twice in the win over McQuaid. “That was the reason why we came out hard tonight. Especially after that win against McQuaid, we’re hot right now. We really wanted that win. Now we’re gonna build off it even more.”
“We wanted to win it because there was a tight game last time and a tight game this time, so there was a lot of energy coming in,” Garrett Downie said.
It was Downie who scored twice on Saturday night after also scoring a goal against McQuaid, once late in the first period and again less than two minutes into overtime, as Niagara Wheatfield won the rematch 3-2.
Downie’s first goal gave Niagara Wheatfield a 1-0 lead in the first, but Canisius answered with two in the first half of the second period as Kevin Bennett tied the game 2:40 into the second and Tim Sgroi put the Crusaders up 2-1 just past the six-minute mark.
But the Falcons wanted to win, and their hard work wasn’t about to go unrewarded.
“Not just this time, but every time, we always really want the win,” said Alex Bauer. “We put in the work in practice, and that’s what makes us want to win here.”
When Downie’s skate broke late in the third period, defenseman Kasey Haseley moved up to play forward until Downie could return. Haseley was just “trying to fill in” as he scored the game-tying goal with 6:28 left in regulation.
“Actually, that was my first shift on forward because Gary broke his skate, so I was trying to fill in for him,” Haseley said. “And LoTempio tied up the guy in the front and left me wide open, so it was all LoTempio.”
LoTempio picked up an assist on the the goal, the second of three he’d earn by the time the game ended. The sophomore believes he’s finally adjusted to the varsity level, and his play — two goals and five assists in the last three games — speaks for itself.
“I guess I got good vision tonight or something,” LoTempio said after Saturday’s game. “Past two games, the points are building up for me right now. It took me a couple games to get used to the physicality in this league and everything. I think I’m finally starting to get used to it, so my vision’s back and I’m playing the way I want to play right now.”
Bauer had three assists as well, but the hardworking forward said he was just doing his job as his teammates did theirs.
“That’s just my guys being in the right place, playing the right system,” Bauer said. “I’m doing my part; they’re doing their part.”
As the Falcons again looked to overtime against a team they’d tied less than two weeks earlier, they felt only confidence.
“We went in feeling like as long as we played our game, things would work out,” Wrazin said. “Honestly, my biggest concern was the opening faceoff, but the boys picked up well off it, and I think they’re starting to get some confidence. If we had that overtime game two weeks ago, they’d probably go in really nervous. And this time they went in with more of an attitude that, ‘We’re here, we’re gonna win this one.'”
“We weren’t there to tie,” Haseley said. “We were there to win, and we knew it, and that’s what happened.”
“Just positive and energy,” Downie described the mood. “Just trying to get a goal, and it was just really exciting.”
Less than two minutes into overtime, Bauer passed to LoTempio, LoTempio passed to Downie, and Downie scored the game winner.
“Every kid wants to be that guy — you’re out there when they score the game winner, wants the game-winning goal,” LoTempio said. “But it felt real good to win that game because this year’s been tough, and going into overtime we really wanted it, and I think that shift — even off the beginning, that bounce, it was so urging to score that goal. I came out, passed it out to Downie, and we got the goal and it felt great. Good celebration.” LoTempio paused before adding, “Best feeling of the year, actually.”